IBT Staff Reporter

Technology related stocks rose Friday afternoon while tax-maker Intuit stumbled after reporting a drop in second quarter profit.

Copper prices in New York fell from their highest level since May 2006 after inventories climbed and concerns about demand continued.

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday rejected an appeal from Fox Television on Friday to overturn an indecency complaint over a 2003 episode of a short-lived reality TV show.

Energy stocks pulled out of their slump to end Friday slightly higher with on a final hour rally.

U.S. crude prices rose on Friday, ending near $99 after the media reported Turkish forces have entered into the Northern region of Iraq on Thursday, media informed.

For Yahoo Inc to avoid Microsoft Corp's bear hug, it could potentially partner with companies ranging from eBay Inc to Comcast Corp, though an alternative deal would be unlikely to match the Microsoft offer. Retailer Amazon.com Inc, iPod maker Apple Inc and phone company AT&T Inc all could argue that integrating Yahoo's services and ads would be strategically smart, and some already have Internet-advertising partnerships with Yahoo. None, however, is expected to be able to compete f...

Starbucks Corp. is cutting 600 posts, with its headquarters in Seattle taking the bulk of the reduction, in an effort to revive the struggling coffee chain.

The Federal Communications Commission will back off from plans to force TV stations to air more advertisements about the upcoming transition to digital TV next year, according to several news reports.

Soybean futures increased on Friday on concern that China, the world's largest consumer of vegetable oils, will increase imports in an effort to control rising prices for food in the country.

The yen rose against the dollar and euro on Friday as investor moved away from stocks and high yielding currencies.

Gold futures edged lower in New York on Friday, consolidating below the$ 950 mark after hitting a fresh record-high yesterday on increased inflation risks which boosted the precious metal's appeal as an inflation hedge.

U.S. stocks fell for a second day on Friday, with the tech and financial sector leading the decline as investors considered weak economic data that was released earlier this week. Indexes tumbled on Thursday after a weak regional manufacturing report added to concerns that the economy is headed for a recession, if not already in one.

Recent signs that the world's biggest economy may be sliding into recession unsettled European and Asian stocks on Friday, and helped push the dollar to a near three-week low versus a basket of currencies.

Platinum powered to an historic high near $2,200 an ounce on Friday as supply problems in top producer South Africa triggered speculative buying, but erased gains later on profit-taking.

EU and U.S. senior officials said on Friday they would crack down on counterfeiting of computer components after they seized over 360,000 fake items in just two weeks in a joint operation at the end of last year.

Top U.S. electronics retailer Best Buy Co, facing stagnant sales at home, said on Friday it would ramp up its expansion in China but would not grow through partnerships with local rivals. Best Buy will invest substantially and open a large number of stores in China in the next five years, and will launch online sales in the country in the next 24 months.

Thousands of Turkish troops have crossed into northern Iraq in their hunt for Kurdish PKK guerrillas, a senior military source said on Friday, in an escalation of a conflict that could destabilize the region.

Dresdner Bank AG is bailing out an $18.8 billion K2 structured investment.

The beef industry is putting pressure on U.S. agriculture regulators to reduce the scale of a massive recall initiated this week, according to a report.

Japan stocks dropped sharply Friday affected by U.S. weakening economy and upward trend of yen currency.

Asian markets shed gains from the previous day in the wake of Wall Street's declines.

Wheat rose for the second this week as investors speculated that bad weather may reduce the global crop supply.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's adoption of Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt has been formally made official by a Los Angeles court, according to news reports.

China has appealed to the United States for fair and legal treatment of a Chinese investment in US communications equipment company 3Com after the deal caused the United States national security concerns.

Portal won Game of the Year at the eighth annual Game Developers Choice Awards as video gamemakers heaped laurels on the action puzzle.

Copper prices rose on Thursday as investors' demand for commodities increased to protect investments against inflation.

Platinum soared Thursday after a drop in the dollar drove traders to shift funds into hard assets as safe-haven investments. Gold and silver also hit records.

Oil prices slumped from a $101.32 record high on Thursday after the U.S. government reported crude inventories rose last week for their sixth straight increase.

Gold futures rose to a new record of $958.40 an ounce on Thursday on a weakening dollar which boosted the metal's appeal as an inflation hedge. Platinum and silver also hit new record highs.